Good afternoon my all-knowing readers! I have a special treat for you today, one I hope will thrill you and move you to tears. I’ve been sitting on a short story of mine for a while now debating whether or not to share it with you or submit it to one of those writing contests. I’ve decided to share it with you since I will be writing many more short stories very soon. Not to mention how all your wonderful feed back will help me grow as a short story writer and thus increase my chances of winning one of those contests. So without further ado, I present you with

‘The Demon Storm.’

Elle stood on the edge of the cliff while the Demon Storm raged around her and as Hell Fire ripped the night sky to shreds, she knew her life was forfeit. With arms spread wide she took those final steps to where earth met air. She closed her eyes as a momentary flood of sadness washed over her

She would miss her mother, with her laughing smoky eyes and her father’s playful smile. Her sisters and brothers, her aunts and uncles, her entire people, she would miss them all. Yes, she knew they would be proud of her. Their children’s children would tell her story around the night fire, as she had told the tales of others before her. She would live on forever in the memories of her people, though that wasn’t why she stood at the mouth of Hell.

Her people needed her. There might have been some other young girl who would have gladly taken Elle’s place, but Elle had the most to lose, the most to offer up. Of those old enough to make the choice, she was the youngest. She’d never been with a man; her wedding would have taken place in the morning. Her father was the Chief and she stood next in line. Hers would be the greatest sacrifice.

Demon’s Breath whipped around her, yanking her towards the flaming maw. For the first time since she made the choice, fear gripped her heart. She didn’t want to die. Not yet, not with her whole life ahead of her. Mear’s loving face played before her eyes. His puppy like attachment to her had always been an irritation, but she loved him, as he loved her.

“Elle,” he had begged when she told him her intention. “Let another go. Salla’s just taken Mel from the breast, she’d make an acceptable offering.”

“No,” she replied though it broke her heart. “I must go. I have the most to offer up.”

Mear had seen the truth in her words and left her with a parting kiss. She’d told no one else, she couldn’t have an audience. Now, as her heart beat towards its end and her lungs took in their last air, she wished she’d told her mother. But if her mother stood with her on that cliff, Elle doubted she would have the strength to do what she must do.

She allowed herself to feel the loss of her mother’s last embrace and regret that she’d never know a man’s touch. Then she took her last breath, wept her last tear and gathered herself to leap into the darkness.

Su watched from just inside the tree line as Ella, her first-born, prepared to give herself to the Demon. She knew her daughter had over heard the council as they discussed their options for soothing the angry Gods. Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought her daughter capable of such a selfless act.

Her heart had swelled with pride the moment she knew her daughters intentions. Though she wished Ella had told her, instead the word had come from Mear. He’d hoped she could talk her daughter out of it, but she wouldn’t dare. Her daughter knew what she must do and Su wouldn’t stand in the way of the God’s will.

As her little Elle, only sixteen winters old, threw herself from the cliff, Su’s heart broke like brittle clay, crumbling to dust and bitter edged shards.

“What kind of God’s would demand an innocent child’s life?” she asked the oak. “What kind of mother would allow her child to die to appease the Demon?” she asked the owl. She got no answer.

As Su froze out her God’s she turned her back on the cliff and her people. The Demon Storm raged on, unsatisfied with her daughter’s great sacrifice.

This started out as the start to a new novel but I couldn’t get it to make much sense beyond this point so I took that to mean it was meant to be a short story. I really hoped you liked it. Much love to you my readers and remember aways to Write on writers of the world, write on!

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About adsimons

I'm about to embark on the wonder journey of publishing. Come join me as I struggle to get it right, land an agent and get published. All while raising my daughter alone and fighting just to keep my head over water.